Diversity Committee Members
Diversity Committee Members
Otis Ducker (Chair) -
Ducker boasts a long history in music, beginning with saxophone lessons as a teenager in New Orleans and then a small college in Alabama. Following college, Ducker shouldered the responsibility of supporting his family after the death of his father. Ducker's union affiliation began early. "A teacher in high school planted it in my head that the path to being proficient on an instrument was through joining the union," he recalls. He joined the New Orleans Local 496, the black AFM local, and had to audition to get in. Nevertheless, he says one of the proudest moments of his life was when they gave him that union card.
Around 1950 Ducker was drafted into the army, posted to the Washington, DC, area in a construction engineer battalion. Ducker soon transferred into the 75th Army Band, where he spent the next three years. Following the Army, Ducker decided find a government job and remain in the DC area. Ducker wore three hats: working for the federal government, playing music part-time, and music administration through the union. His work with Washington DC Local 710 almost became a full time job, but he says he enjoyed it despite the heavy workload. Later, he became the vice president of 710, and then secretary. Diversity was already an issue and the Local 710 tried desperately to maintain compatible scales, but the economic conditions for black musicians in Washington were decidedly different than for white musicians.
Currently, Otis chairs the AFM International Diversity Committee and is a member of the Futures Committee. Otis has been an AFM member for over 49 years.
John Acosta -
John Acosta is from Professional Musicians Local 47 in Los Angeles , California , where he is the Administrator for Electronic Media. John also serves as the chair for AFM Youth Diversity Subcommittee. John Acosta hails from the Bronx, New York . His father Juan Acosta was a percussionist from Cuba who worked as a touring musician with latin jazz greats such as Tito Puente & Celia Cruz. John began his musical career in Elementary School playing flute and saxophone in his school orchestra, even performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City . John has been a working musician from the age of 16 when he was sponsored to move to California under his manager's behest. In California he began his recording career working as a composer, guitarist, producer and engineer for artist signed to Warner Brothers, DreamWorks, Geffen, BMG, Elektra and Capitol Records. John's compositions have had major chart success in the US and Europe . Presently he has been active in organizing musicians around the Southern California area with special emphasis on alternative rock, latin music, rap, and DJ's. John also continues to write and produce for up and coming artist.
Madelyn Roberts -
President, Local 586, Arizona. Guitarist (Father was Local 47 Guitarist, Howard Roberts). Formerly professional billiards player; founder and Hall of Fame inductee, Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA).
Mike Muniz -
Michael Muniz, electric bass player, has served in various positions with the American Federation of Musicians both locally and nationally since 1992. During his four-year tenure with San Antonio AFM Local #23 he served as Assistant Trustee, Recording Supervisor, MPTF Program Coordinator and Secretary-Treasurer. Michael has been working in an AFM International Organizing Staff position since 1996 and currently serves as AFM Director of Latin Organizing.
Charles W. McDaniel -
Charles William McDaniel, the eldest of four brothers, is a native of Fairfield, Alabama. Both of his parents were music teachers and organized the Birmingham Sacred Symphony Orchestra in the 1920's. Charles is an accomplished keyboard player and served over 38 years within government civil service. He first started on the saxophone at 6 years of age. He has been an AFM member for 46 years.
Charles was also active in his early years during the time when the Local 286 and Local 15 merged during the mid to late 60's. This was period of which at the time was considered a merger of a black and white Local. Charles became the first African-American Secretary-Treasurer of Local 15-286 in 1998, a position he continues to hold today. In addition, presently, because of his excellent rapport with the youth, he manages his granddaughter's gospel jazz ensemble.
Lovie Smith-Schenk -
Lovie Smith-Schenk, President of Local 65-699, Houston, TX, has been on the Executive Board since 1983 and served as Vice President for two of those terms. She is Principal Percussionist for Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, and performs with various other musical organizations including the Houston Ballet Orchestra, the Broadway Show Series Orchestra and Houston’s Ebony Opera Guild. Lovie is also a Gospel Marimbist performing concerts throughout the Houston area & the United States. She was a member of the Wichita Symphony for seven years, Principal Percussionist with the Houston Ballet Orchestra five years and Percussionist with the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra twelve years
Lovie is on the Mayor’s Symphony Advisory Committee to promote the common interest in the quality and future of the Houston Symphony. She is currently on the faculty of the University of St. Thomas and Houston Baptist University, Houston, Texas.
World premiere performances includes: “Sophia” by Ann K. Gebuhr in January 1994 and the 1981 Houston Ballet world premiere of Just By Chance choreographed by Daniel Jamison to the “Concertino for Marimba” by Paul Creston. She has toured and performed with such artists as Roger Williams, Tommy Tune, Johnny Carson, Liberace, Lena Horne and many others. Solo appearances include the 1989 Soirees Musicales with the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and the Houston Symphony Orchestra in 1977. She was the featured artist with The Good News Singers of Texas during their recent Northwestern United States/Canada Tour 2001 from South Main Baptist Church.
Lovie believes that we, as members of the AFM, should help each other achieve unity through diversity.
After all, “Diversity is the one true thing we all have in Common. Celebrate it every day.”
Tina Morrison -
Tina Morrison is Secretary-Treasurer of the Professional Musicians of the Inland Northwest, Local 105 and is a proud member of the AFM first standing Diversity Committee. Her principal instrument is bassoon and managed the West Wind Quintet for approximately 9 years before taking office. In addition to freelancing with various orchestras and teaching, Tina has also played bass guitar with the versatile Rock-a-Billy R&B Band, the Chrome Toasters.
Music roots run deep in Tina’s family from her father, husband and son being musicians. Tina states, “I am a true believer in the AFM’s ability to improve the lives of working musicians.” She hopes that through the efforts of the AFM Diversity Committee we can forge a stronger community of musicians. “We must be willing to celebrate our differences and work together to gain better working conditions for all musicians. The strength of our community will be grown through inclusion, respect, empathy and solidarity”.
William F. Marszalek -
Bill is the Secretary-Treasurer of Local 60-471 Pittsburgh, and currently a member of the Diversity Committee. He plays guitar and performs Country music. He is married to Sue with two daughters, Julie & Jodi. Bill feels the work of the Diversity Committee is extremely important to the Federation and that Diversity needs to be celebrated!
Sahid Fawaz -
Sahid Fawaz has worked for the AFM since 2001. He assists the President with matters ranging from traditional labor relations to public relations to assisting local officers with various problems. Prior to joining the AFM, Sahid received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was involved in the Black Law Students Association and the Pitt Law Women's Association. A drummer and percussionist since a young age, Sahid has performed in various music groups ranging from original acts to jazz to classical.
Alice Bish -
Alice Kao Bish began her musical career with Baton Rouge Symphony before moving to central Pennsylvania, where she is now the Secretary-Treasurer of Local 269, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Currently Ms. Bish divides her time between her duties as Secretary-Treasurer, performing with area orchestras such as York Symphony and Harrisburg Symphony, teaching knitting classes, and raising her two children Augy age 6 and Suzannah, age 3.
Susan Ayoub -
Susan Barna Ayoub, Secretary-Treasurer of the Detroit Federation of Musicians, is thrilled and honored to be a member of the AFM Diversity Council. In addition to her regular duties at Local 5 as an officer, she is also a member of the Advanced Programs Development Committee (Local 5's Futures Committee), as well as Law and Scale Committees.
Until taking office at Local 5, Ms. Ayoub was the principal flutist for the Fisher and Masonic Temple Theatre Orchestras in Detroit, accompanying touring Broadway-type musical productions. She continues to perform in a classical flute and harp duo with Ruth Myers and a "non-classical" flute and guitar duo with husband Alan Ayoub. Ms. Ayoub is a former member of the Pastiche Wind Quintet, performing in tours and residencies in Italy, the Dominican Republic, Philadelphia, Wisconsin and throughout Michigan.
Ms. Ayoub was a flute instructor and the director of the Oakland University Flute Ensemble in Rochester, Michigan. As such, she involved her students and the ensemble in supporting Focus: Hope, a nationally recognized civil and human rights organization in Detroit, by performing for fund raisers, including at its annual fund raising Walk. In addition, she is a co-founder of the Oakland Steiner School, a Waldorf school that opened its doors in 1989.
Ms. Ayoub has a lifelong interest in the advancement of the appreciation for human diversity in its many forms and its importance in the enhancement of the well being for all. She welcomes the potential opportunities and challenges by this appointment.
Dorian Parreott -
Dorian L. Parreott was born and educated in Asbury Park, NJ He received a B.A. in Music from North Carolina Central University, M.A. from Trenton State College, and has taken courses from various NJ Colleges leading to his doctoral equivalency. In 1991, Dorian retired after 32 years of teaching public school, 22years of which were spent at Asbury Park High School as Band Director and Supervisor of the Fine Arts, Home Economics, and Industrial Arts Departments.
Dorian is currently Past-President of the New Jersey Music Educators Association and Chairman of the Multi-Cultural Committee, on the NJ Council of the Arts Music Panel, Past-Treasurer of the Arts Alliance for Education ( an arts education advocacy group), and Past- President of the NJ Retired Music Educators Association. He was chairman of the "Arts for Every Kid" program televised from Asbury Park High School by the NJ Network, in 1991, is a member of the Music Educators Black Caucus, and a past member of the Board of Directors of Shoestring Players.
On the local level, Dorian has worked with the impact program at Brookdale Community College ( a program to raise the self-esteem of urban youth) and is a mentor in the portage' Program at Asbury Park High School. He is an adjudicator for the Monmouth Arts Foundation, and the State Teen Arts Program. He has participated in Career Day programs throughout the state, panel discussions on education in urban schools, Martin Luther King Day Celebrations, Drug Marches, Asbury Park Festival Days, and can be found at any time performing as a vocalist or instrumentalist in local churches or restaurants.
Dorian has been a senior choir member and soloist at St. Stephen AME Zion Church for the past 42 years. He also belongs to the Men's Chorus, and was past- treasurer of the Mortgage Rally Committee, and is a charter member of the Board of Directors of Stephen Manor Housing Project. In 1990, Dorian was the recipient of the "I have a Dream" Award, from the Monmouth County Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, for community service, and in 1991, he received an award from the New York Chapter of the National Music Educators Black Caucus for his efforts to bring a meaningful music experience to all young people and to promote better human relations through the arts. In 1991, Dorian was also presented with the Governor's Awards for his contribution to Arts Education in New Jersey.
Dorian is President of Local 399 AFM Asbury Park, New Jersey and Chairman's the New Jersey State Conference AFM Diversity Committee, and Member of the AFM Diversity Council.
